6 Misconceptions about USA & American People

October 26, 2017

Do you know that people have different misconceptions about American People and their country USA? If you are traveling to the USA for the first time or you’re one of the many who has misconceptions about the USA, then the information below will undoubtedly shed some light and help you clear your doubts.

People in different countries view American people differently. They usually stereotype Americans negatively due to the many written articles about them. But before traveling to the USA and meeting American people there, it would be best to know some of the misconceptions people have. Along with these misconceptions, there is an explanation as to why they are not true.

Top 6 Misconceptions People have about US & American People

1. All American People Have Guns

With the debate on gun control in the US, people all over the world assume that all the citizens of America carry guns. Some people even think that Americans are always excited about owning a gun. While it is true that they are all interested in firearms, but they always make sure that they have their permits to carry and own them.

According to the news, the ownership of people owning a gun is actually falling. So it is a great misconception that all Americans own guns.

2. American People Don’t Use Public Transportations

It is assumed that American people use cars most of the time. But there are states in America where the only means of traveling is by using public transportations. They use buses, subways, trains, and as well as cabs. Moreover, the subway is the fastest way to get to their destinations without getting stuck in horrendous traffic.

3. American People are Lazy

The obesity rate is really high in America and is cited as a major health issue, therefore there is a misconception that American people are lazy. The truth is, the percentage of obesity in other countries are high too, and it is considered as a problem of the residents in that particular country too.

In fact, Americans are known to be adventurous and not at all lazy. The reason behind this is because they love the outdoor activities, and camping, wherein they do need to set up a tent using the guides on setting up a tent. They also like bonfires parties to gather and enjoy with their families.

4. American People are Arrogant/Rude

There is a misconception that American people are arrogant or rude because they think how great their country is. But the truth is, they are one of the friendliest people in the world. They are kind and polite, and they often interact with different people. If you are going to go on a vacation in the US or going to migrate there, you don’t have to worry about anything like this because there are a lot of American people that you’ll meet who are really nice.

5. America Is Not Safe

The assumption is that going to the USA is not safe because the crimes happen there every single day. The truth is, crimes happen anywhere and everywhere in the world. But being a popular and regulated country the crimes are reported and it becomes a global news. The same news is watched and heard in different countries, hence rises a misconception that America is not safe.

As mentioned above in the point 4, a majority of the American people are friendly so dubbing the country is not safe is quite inappropriate.

6. American People Don’t Speak Other Language

Another common misconception about the USA is that the American people don’t even try to speak any other language. This is because they feel English is the strong language and the only appropriate language that should be used. But the truth is, in every American school, students are required to study at least two years of any foreign language. And some of these foreign language taught are French and Spanish. So saying that they don’t speak or even try to speak other language is a big misconception.

These are the 6 misconceptions people have about the USA and the American People. So, before judging them by these misconceptions, it would be best to get to know the country, their culture, and the people. In this way, you will get to know them and enjoy their country even more.

Note:

I’m Lucy Gomez, the camp editor at Getcampingwild.com. I grew up in a suburb of Oklahoma and I have been camping my entire life. Camping in the wild is a way of life for me.

As an American, I was drawn to this post out of curiosity. While these misconceptions are definitely warranted, I’m happy to read that not all Americans fit these stereotypes. As a diverse country, you will come across so many different types of individuals which makes it so great because you don’t have to “fit in”.

Glad to see a world view of America that isn’t all gloom and doom. America is very diverse and different regional stereotypes are more prevalent than others. For examples, some cities really do have functioning public transit systems, but a nation wide train system doesn’t really exist. There are a few routes to a few places but I wouldn’t look to take the train as primary transportation.

It’s funny how we have certain perceptions of people from certain countries around the world, until I started to travel and met Americans I thought the same about them, but more so for me, being English we have a thing about Germans and the French. However after traveling and meeting them my best friends are German and French. It’s like we are fed things from the media to judge people before we meet them and when we actually see they are not like how they have been portrayed its a shock to us.

As an American, I can say this article is75% spot on. I don’t use a gun, but I don’t use public transport as in my city that isn’t a thing and I don’t speak another language as that wasnt an option til high schoo, I dont think I’m rude, I’m not lazy. Thanks for sharing!

Great article! I do believe there is some negative perception of Americans and I’ve encountered them during my travels. However, I do think we prejudge because the way media protrays us and other countries.

Good article! America is a huge country and there are tons of people living there. So we can’t judge the whole country from things we heard about or experienced at a specific place or state. Even within a state or a city, there can be huge differences among different neighborhoods. (But that’s not just in the USA, but the same everywhere in the world actually.) I’ve traveled to the USA very often since I was a kid, and was a resident in California for some time, and I’ve never met anyone who owns a gun for example. In suburbs, almost no one uses public transportations, wheras in big cities such as SF or NY, I’d say it’s kinda stupid to own a car. LOL

I too always worry that people I will meet along my travels hold these same misconceptions about Americans. That we are gun-toting, rude and reckless rednecks. But from my experience, most people in the world see America as being a wonderful place to live – full of prosperity and opportunity . And they feel like Americans are friendly and welcoming people. Although I’ll admit that I do hope most people in other countries will be able to communicate in English – my French and Spanish are horrendous!

I too always worry that people I will meet along my travels hold these same misconceptions about Americans. That we are gun-toting, rude and reckless rednecks. But from my experience, most people in the world see America as being a wonderful place to live – full of prosperity and opportunity . And they feel like Americans are friendly and welcoming people. Although I’ll admit that I do hope most people in other countries will be able to communicate in English – my French and Spanish are horrendous!

Interesting read, I have never read an article like this! I am not an American, but have a lot of American friends from all parts of the country and they are all very nice. But all nationalities are stereotyped all the time, just never judge a book by its cover or country!

As a Canadian, I just think of Americans as an extension of home. Sure there are some minor differences but in the day to day, we’re all the same. The news just sensationalizes things and blows things so out of proportion. The US is an awesome place to visit.

It’s always interesting to read the misconceptions people have about Americans and the country. I’m proud that you have debunked them and I know the media does create certain images of countries and groups of people. That’s why travel is so important!

People generally end up forming opinions based on generalizations and stereotypes. This is not fair at all, and this is true for all countries and all people. It is nice to see you busting some of the myths about America and its people here. It is indeed the duty of us travel bloggers to demystify things and give the correct perspective of a place and its people.

About

AllGudThings, a Travel, and Lifestyle blog is the brainchild of a couple travellers (Suruchi & Tashi), who are opposite to each other - in every way but aspire to see the whole world together in one small life. We see every day as a new challenge and fight with the courage to win it.